Written Answers Monday 2 July 2007

Scottish Executive

Culture

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-719 by Linda Fabiani on 20 June 2007, whether it will outline what its cultural policy aims are; what assessment has been made as to how they can be achieved, and what discussions have taken place with the cultural sector in this respect.

Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Government’s policy aims were set out in the SNP’s election manifesto. I believe each of the objectives described there can be achieved and I and officials are involved in a range of discussions about how to do this.

Culture

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the answer to question S3W-722 by Linda Fabiani on 20 June 2007, whether it intends to transfer the budget for the creative industries from Scottish Enterprise to Creative Scotland, as promised in the SNP manifesto.

Linda Fabiani: I consider that creative individuals and enterprises will benefit from more integrated public assistance in relation to their creative and business objectives. I am presently considering with interested parties how this might be most effectively delivered.

Culture

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, further to the answer to question S3W-720 by Linda Fabiani on 21 June 2007 and in the absence of a definition of artists, the grants scheme proposal has not yet been costed and may therefore be undeliverable.

Linda Fabiani: The scheme referred to is being developed. An announcement will be made in due course about the detailed arrangements involved in its implementation.

Fertility Services

Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to review the guidelines governing access to NHS fertility services.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Executive published Review of Access Criteria for Infertility Services in Scotland in March 2007 to inform boards of recommended changes to be made to the access criteria to funded infertility services.

  Guidelines for access to IVF treatments were developed by the Expert Advisory Group on Infertility Services in Scotland (EAGISS) in 2000. The Scottish Government has asked NHS boards and trusts to work towards full implementation of the EAGISS guidelines. It is up to each individual NHS board in Scotland to follow and apply the guidance and we will monitor the implementation of the EAGISS guidelines to ensure consistency of approach.

Justice

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive in how many custody cases dealt with by Glasgow sheriff court in the last year the Crown sought extensions beyond 140 days.

Right Hon Elish Angiolini QC: The requirement imposed by Section 65 (4) (aa) of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 that a trial must commence within 140 days of full committal applies only to the High Court.

  For cases dealt with under solemn procedure in the sheriff court there is a requirement under section 65 (4) (b) of the 1995 act that a trial must commence within 110 days of full committal.

  The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s Case Management Database does not include searchable information about cases in which the Crown has sought an extension to these time limits.

Justice

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged (a) under 18 and (b) 18 and over were convicted of possession of an offensive weapon in the Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary area in each of the last five years for which information is available.

Kenny MacAskill: The available information on persons with a charge proved in court is given in the following tables.

  Persons Aged Under 18 in Dumfries and Galloway Police Force Area with a Charge Proved in Court for Carrying Knives or Possessing an Offensive Weapon1, 2001-02 to 2005-06

  

Year
Having in a Public Placean Article 
with a Blade or Point
Possession of an
Offensive Weapon
Total


2001-02
2
1
3


2002-03
4
4
8


2003-04
-
2
2


2004-05
5
3
8


2005-06
5
2
7



  Note: 1. Where main offence.

  Persons Aged 18 and Over in Dumfries and Galloway Police Force Area with a Charge Proved in Court for Carrying Knives or Possessing an Offensive Weapon1, 2001-02 to 2005-06

  

Year
Having in a Public Placean Article 
with a Blade or Point
Possession of an
Offensive Weapon
Total


2001-02
15
14
29


2002-03
21
27
48


2003-04
17
17
34


2004-05
23
17
40


2005-06
11
22
33



  Note: 1. Where main offence.

NHS Equipment

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that out-of-hours and weekend support should be provided by the five regional wheelchair centres to people who use wheelchairs.

Shona Robison: This proposal is contained within recommendation 29 of Moving Forward: the Review of NHS Wheelchair and Seating Services in Scotland . The recently formed Wheelchair and Seating Services Project Board will consider this and the other 39 recommendations flowing from the review.

NHS Equipment

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made toward establishing a project board to progress the results of the Moving Forward review of NHS wheelchair and seating services.

Shona Robison: The Wheelchair and Seating Services Project Board held its first meeting on 20 June 2007. The board includes rehabilitation professionals, a service user and carer and a disability equality representative to look at the recommendations flowing from the independent NHS Wheelchair and Seating Services Review.

NHS Equipment

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is monitoring the implementation of the recommendations of the Moving Forward review of NHS wheelchair and seating services.

Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-1284 on 2 July 2007. Within its first 12 months the Wheelchair and Seating Services Project Board will produce a National Action Plan on the delivery of the recommendations identified, including planned outcomes and timescales, for approval by the Scottish Government.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

NHS Equipment

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is monitoring the use of the £1 million additional funding made available by the previous administration to address issues arising from the Moving Forward review of NHS wheelchair and seating services.

Shona Robison: The additional funding has been divided between the five wheelchair centres in Scotland, on the basis of the Arbuthnott formula shares of the NHS board(s) they provide services to, following the submission of business cases which have been approved by the Scottish Government.

  This money has been allocated to the five wheelchair centres to contain and improve waiting times in financial year 2007-08. Progress will be reviewed in September 2007, when the five wheelchair centres will be asked to provide reports on performance.

NHS Hospitals

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-990 by Nicola Sturgeon on 20 June 2007, whether Monklands Hospital accident and emergency unit will have a 24/7 intensive therapy unit.

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-991 by Nicola Sturgeon on 20 June 2007, whether Monklands Hospital accident and emergency unit will have a 24/7 high dependency unit.

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-992 by Nicola Sturgeon on 20 June 2007, whether Monklands Hospital accident and emergency unit will have a 24/7 anaesthesiology service.

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-993 by Nicola Sturgeon on 20 June 2007, whether Monklands Hospital accident and emergency unit will have a 24/7 general medical service.

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-994 by Nicola Sturgeon on 20 June 2007, whether Monklands Hospital accident and emergency unit will have a 24/7 orthopaedic service.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-752 on 19 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

NHS Staff

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when any decision will be made about the possible relocation of jobs in NHSScotland organisations, including NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, NHS Education for Scotland and Health Protection Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon: This issue is currently being considered and a decision will be made as soon as possible.

NHS Staff

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS workers were waiting for their new salary bandings to be applied under Agenda for Change, broken down by health profession and NHS board in each year since 2004 and how many are currently waiting.

  The Executive has provided a corrected answer which is published in the Written Answer Report on 23 August 2007: see: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/pqa/wa-07/wa0823.htm

Nicola Sturgeon: Implementation of Agenda for Change began in December 2004, with the assimilation of staff to the new pay bands commencing in February 2006.

  Information on progress with assimilation was collected from health boards from March 2006 onwards. The following table shows the rate of progress in March and December 2006 and May 2007, broken down by health board. Data on the breakdown by health profession is not held centrally.

  Progress with Assimilation to the Agenda for Change Pay Bands by Health Board

  

Heath Board
March 2006
(% of Total Workforce)
December 2006
(% of Total Workforce)
May 2007
(% of Total Workforce)


Argyll and Clyde* 
1,574 (15%)
5,384 (51%)
 


Ayrshire and Arran
142 (2%)
5,547 (51%)
8,050 (89%)


Borders
84 (2%)
2,639 (65%)
2,879 (97%)


Dumfries and Galloway
938 (21%)
3,646 (82%)
4,430 (100%)


Fife
1,013 (12%)
7,956 (91%)
8,790 (100%)


Forth Valley
1,045 (15%)
3,874 (57%)
5,075 (87%)


Greater Glasgow and Clyde** 
1,931 (7%)
15,874 (55%)
28,510 (85%)


Golden Jubilee National Hospital 
0
517 (76%)
683 (100%)


Grampian
304 (2%)
7,111 (49%)
11,863 (97%)


Highland
880 (14%)
3,579 (57%)
6,256 (100%)


Lanarkshire
1,968 (20%)
8,688 (87%)
9,966 (100%)


Lothian
443 (2%)
12,475 (62%)
19,613 (97%)


Orkney
15 (3%)
423 (74%)
568 (100%)


Scottish Ambulance Service
0
3,901 (99%)
3,930 (100%)


State Hospital 
0
347 (54%)
416 (78%)


Shetland
0
356 (39%)
488 (97%)


Tayside
0
7,140 (54%)
8,863 (81%)


Western Isles
305 (21%)
714 (59%)
872 (90%)


Special Health Boards*** 
480 (9%)
2,102 (40%)
3,129 (60%)


Scotland 
11,122 (8%)
92,273 (70%)
124,381 (94%)



  Notes:

  *Argyll and Clyde Health Board was dissolved in 1 April 2006.

  **Became Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board on the dissolving of Argyll and Clyde Health Board.

  ***The record for special health boards covers NHS Education Scotland, NHS 24, NHS Health Scotland, National Services Scotland and Quality Improvement Scotland.

NHS Staff

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated outstanding amount to be paid to NHS workers is as a result of salary bandings following Agenda for Change.

Nicola Sturgeon: Health boards have taken different approaches to the assimilation of staff to the new Agenda for Change pay bands and the subsequent assessment and payment of any arrears of pay that are due. While in general terms the health boards are nearing completion of the process, they are at different stages. We are therefore unable to assess on a pan Scotland basis the level of payments still to be made to staff.

NHS Staff

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS workers who have received their new salary bandings under Agenda for Change have been made financially worse off as a result, expressed also as a percentage of the total number of NHS staff who have been regraded and broken down by health profession and NHS board in each year since 2004.

Nicola Sturgeon: None. The Scottish Executive has made a commitment that no member of NHS staff will receive a reduction in salary as a result of the implementation of Agenda for Change.

Roads

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the timetable is for the full dualling of the A90 between Tipperty and Peterhead, including the preparation of feasibility reports, start dates for each section and completion dates.

Stewart Stevenson: The next round of major investment in the trunk road network will emerge from the Strategic Transport Projects Review, which is due to report in summer 2008, will examine the longer term needs of Scotland’s nationally strategic transport network to develop the investment plan for 2012 to 2022.

  Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted if required.